Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)

    A native of Germany, Hindemith was best known as a composer, teacher, and theorist. Hindemith's theoretical treatise, The Craft of Musical Composition, is one of the standard works in literature used by young composers to better understand the compositional process of modern music. Hindemith's careful use of atonality coupled with traditional form is apparent both in the treatise and in his compositions. After his music was denounced by the Nazis, Hindemith moved to the United States where he joined the music faculty at Yale University.